Chrissy Metz's Story About Having Lunch With Oprah Is All The Inspiration You Need To Start Dreaming Big

I love This Is Us. So, naturally, when I heard that one of the show's stars, Chrissy Metz, was releasing a memoir, I was stoked. And yet, I was still somehow surprised at just how much I enjoyed reading This Is Me. The mix of Metz's personal stories and motivational advice makes for a page-turning book that's heart-wrenching (it details the mental and physical abuse she suffered at the hands of her step-father), hopeful (she delves into the long journey from small-town girl to a star of one of TV's biggest shows), and super hilarious (just wait until you get to "The Bathroom Story.") Basically, if you've been sleeping on Chrissy Metz, now is definitely the time to change that.

One person who was an early fan of Metz? Oprah Winfrey. Yeah, that's right, the Oprah. Metz shares the story of being unexpectedly invited to Oprah's house for lunch in the chapter "Use The Pretty Napkin."

"My cell rang just as I was leaving LAX and pulling onto the 405," Metz writes. "Am I a Hollywood cliché, or what? A pleasant voice filled the car, saying a name I couldn't quite make out, followed by, 'I'm Oprah Winfrey's chief of staff.'" Naturally, she was a bit flabbergasted.

She writes:

"Here's the thing, y'all. You think you'd be able to handle an out-of-the-blue call from Oprah, but I'm here to tell you, you're not. You start thinking about everything you've learned from her. All of her performances, her generosity, her wisdom, her Oprah-isms! She has been one of your mentors your whole life. And now, she's on the phone. WITH ME. Me! Just chatting with Ophs like we've been friends forever."

Thanks to this lunch invitation, Oprah's wisdom was no longer going to be dispersed from afar — and it would come to bring Metz's journey full-circle in unforseen ways. Following outfit-selection jitters and forgetting to wash her car, Metz was there. And almost as soon as Oprah greeted her, the inspirational advice started flowing. After helping Metz realize that gratitude was the key to receiving life's blessings, and that you should always use the pretty silk napkin, even if you cover it with mascara smudges, she gave Metz these words of wisdom:

"We all have a purpose," she said. "Some people are the tall oak trees, and some people are the beautiful bushes. But everyone has a a purpose. There is nobody here on earth who doesn't have a path or a purpose. An innate destiny. Every human being who comes, comes called."

So, yeah... Oprah really does talk like that. And it were these words that reminded Metz that, by staying true to herself, she had always been on the right path. And that path led her to Oprah — just like she always knew it would. And here's where your mind is about to be blown. Metz goes on the share a memory of lunch with her then-boyfriend, Marty. They were sitting in a pizza place near Oprah's home.

Metz writes:

"I knew Oprah's famous Montecito estate was very close, and as I sat at that table, I thought, I'm going to meet Oprah one day and live next door to her. So, I said just that, out loud, in a joking way. 'I want to be in Montecito someday, hanging out with Oprah.' My wish came true because I put it out there. I truly believe that the things you want can happen, but it starts with asking."

Metz had dreamed her lunch with Oprah into reality. By putting her dreams out into the universe, and doing the hard work to back it up, Metz saw her entire life change, one hardworking day after another. And after reading This Is Me you'll be reminded that no, it's not always easy — but it is always worth it.

Metz writes:

"Picture yourself sitting proud and powerful, and imagine what a day in your life will look like. You might have to start with the protection of stating this as a joke, just as I had done in that pizzeria, fantasizing about meeting Oprah. As you grow, I promise you that your joke will begin to look like a possibility. Once it's a possibility, you can and will make it a reality. Say it out loud, and ask for it. When we meet, I want to hear all about it."

If you needed the push to start dreaming your best life into existence, here it is. It might not lead you to sipping sweet tea with Oprah, but, hey, it could lead to a meal with Metz, and some life-changing advice of your own. For now, reading This Is Me will tide you over just fine in the inspiration department.